“No.”

She took a big bite of her ice cream and made a sound of pure contentment. “This is really pretty good. I should get my ice cream made this way every time.”

I laughed. “You mean with fear and terror mixed in?”

A smug grin spread across her face, and she gave me a half-shrug, then took another bite and said, “Okay, let’s focus on what we learned.”

“First we have to address the fact that the guy who hired Eric to run Mason off the road is the same guy who posted my bail.”

She frowned. “Yeah. That is, if the guy he met actually hired him to do it.”

“The timing is pretty coincidental, but I agree. We can’t jump to conclusions. But we do know it wasn’t Mick. Eric said his new plan was with someone else, someone more powerful.”

“I can’t see J.R. Simmons workin’ with someone as dumb as a stick.” She cringed. “No offense to the dead.”

“Yeah, I agree. But this guy he met had to be some kind of middleman. Someone who could show his face in public. It’s obvious he’s not the power guy because otherwise he wouldn’t have shown up at the courthouse. They have cameras there.”

“They do, although not too many. Whoever this guy is probably turned his face away from the cameras … well, except for Nita’s. But I think you’re right. This isn’t the guy who’s behind it all. We still need to find him, though. Let’s head to your house and see what we can find out about last summer’s rodeo winners. The Henryetta Gazette will have a photo with names.”

I pulled out of the parking lot and pointed the truck toward home, feeling more hopeful than I’d felt in ages.

Chapter 12

After we got home, I texted Mason to let him know we had some helpful information. He responded: In a meeting. Will call you later.

I let Muffy out and told Neely Kate she could pick out whichever room she wanted upstairs. I hurried Muffy along, which made me feel bad, but we had work to do. And in the scheme of things, I figured she could deal with a shorter romp now if it meant she’d get to spend the rest of her life with me and Mason.

After a few minutes, I headed upstairs with my backpack full of Lady in Black clothes. I found Neely Kate in the front bedroom, sitting on the end of the bed and staring out the window toward the road.

“It’s a pretty view, huh?” I asked, sitting next to her.

“Yeah. I like it here. It’s peaceful.”

It had its moments of chaos and danger, but I wasn’t going to ruin the illusion for her. “I meant what I said, Neely Kate. You’re welcome to stay here as long as you want to stay, although for your sake, I hope it’s not too long.”

She kept her gaze focused out the window but gave me a lopsided grin. “What’s Mason gonna say about that?”

“You seriously have to ask that? You know what he’s gonna say. He’s your friend too.”

Tears filled her eyes, hanging on her lower lashes, but they didn’t spill out.

“Do you want to take a rest? We’ve had a busy afternoon, and we have an even busier night ahead. You’re still recovering from your surgery.”

“Yeah. That might be a good idea.” She turned to look at me. “But we need to look up that rodeo guy.”

“Send me his photo, and I’ll see what I can find while you nap.”

She pulled her phone out of her pocket and sent me the photo in a text.

“Now you get comfortable,” I said, pulling an afghan off a chair in the corner.

She kicked off her boots and scooted back on the bed. She lay on her side, her long blond hair spilling over her shoulder and onto the pillow, and I tucked the afghan around her. She glanced up at me, looking sadder and lonelier than I’d ever seen her. “Do you know how long it’s been since someone took care of me like this?”

My head jutted back in surprise. “What about Ronnie?”

“He sits with me and holds my hand, but … this is a different kind of affection. You know?”

I sat on the bed next to her. “No, I don’t know.”

She took a deep breath. I worried she was going to brush me off, but instead she stared at a spot on the wall and said, “Ronnie does take care of me, but it’s because it’s his job as my husband.”

“I’m sure that’s not true, Neely Kate. You’re just confused after all the turmoil and pain of losing your babies. He loves you. I saw it with my own eyes when you were in the hospital.”

“I know he loves me. That’s not it …” I could see she was getting frustrated. Her head turned slightly, and her blue eyes locked onto mine. “He does things for me because he loves me as my husband. It’s like a contract or agreement between us. He takes care of me, and I take care of him.”

I wasn’t sure I agreed with her assessment, but I decided to keep that to myself for now.

She looked away again, her cheeks turning pink. “My momma didn’t do a good job raisin’ me. And while I love my granny, she’s not a soft woman. That’s part of the reason I love Maeve so much. She’s everything my momma wasn’t.”

I picked up her hand and held it in mine. “I know exactly what you mean. I worry I’ll lose her too if Mason finds out the truth about the Lady in Black and leaves me.”

Neely Kate’s gaze found mine again. “No. She loves you for you, Mason aside. I can see it. You’d still have her.”